Oh man, imagine if Fender sued for every strat-ish guitar.

@impossivel2006

2 жыл бұрын

Now I really want a Strat with the Dean headstock. And a Bigsby too.

@victorcuebas3053

2 жыл бұрын

It’d be a messy market but Leo didn’t trademark anything really it wasn’t tell cbs bought the company that they started trademarking things and they barely got their headstock and that was about it from the beginnings of fender

@j_freed

2 жыл бұрын

The Strat head is not an original Leo or Fullerton or Bill Carson design, it’s derived from Croatian instruments… Fender owning that shape is about as silly as somebody owning the traditional shape of a violin or a Dreadnought steel string. But the more companies drag things down the rabbit hole of petty legal protection, throwing around corporate bully-money, the less of a product price you pay will be for the quality of the instrument and the more of it will be to pay the lawyers.

@seinmstudio3646

2 жыл бұрын

Oh man, if they did that the entire guitar economy would probably collapse.

@justsomedude5727

2 жыл бұрын

Fender is confident in its own products, Gibson knows other companies can do their guitars better

Shame on Dean. The goodwill they earned by being unfairly targeted by Gibson has been squandered.

@FortessofShred

Жыл бұрын

Dean guitars suck any way. Their necks are garbage.

@aureliusandthespiral

11 ай бұрын

Unfair, not necessarily. Untimely, most absolutely

I love how you couldn't say "Gibson's strict quality control standards" with a straight face

@gibsonfan159

11 ай бұрын

I doubt the guy who made that statement has a straight face.

Good job Dean, you just increased Machado's used value and even more people are going to be looking for them...

@caiusmadison2996

2 жыл бұрын

Yep. I will be. If I ever become famous, I'll us it exclusively.

@Skelterbane69

Жыл бұрын

I'd put a "Fuck you, Dean" sticker on it.

Just watched the whole thing. Excellent investigation. I really want to get a Machado to play in my busking videos. I'm not joking. Can someone link it if there's one for sale or if I could borrow? I'll make a ton of videos, post it on my channel and make Dean Lawyer letter unboxing video too

@Leemuzhko

2 жыл бұрын

Nice trolling ) ЖГИ, БРО )

@GuitarGuy4647

2 жыл бұрын

Based

@shelbyavant5081

2 жыл бұрын

Great idea, and love your stuff bro!

@rodanone4895

2 жыл бұрын

this would be sweet!

@theodorerooding3536

2 жыл бұрын

Dovydas is 🔥 Press on brother!

Bro this is so messed up. I can't believe Dean went this hard on a guy just vibing with his custom guitar. This is literally what they're defending themselves against. 🤦‍♂️

@tehalexy

2 жыл бұрын

no, as said its worse. gibson goes for a big company, dean goes for a OWNER of guitars. big difference

@ianboylan1981

2 жыл бұрын

@@tehalexy have to agree it is worse because of this. I used to own a Dean Edge bass for years and it was my main gigging bass. Don't think I'd buy another again due to this.

@Maddgoose666

2 жыл бұрын

I’d buy a knockoff before I ever buy a dean

@MrMatt9793

2 жыл бұрын

@@ianboylan1981 modern Dean's are junk unless you go the US route, and they cost more than Les Paul's at that point. Its silly. Plus ya know, they have 1 big artist, and he's been dead for 17 years. Dime left the company to go to Washburn, "came back" long enough to make a prototype guitar, died, and they've been riding that out for almost 2 decades. Hell, they even started making amps and pickups with his name on it lol

@ianboylan1981

2 жыл бұрын

@@MrMatt9793 the dean edge bass was pretty decent to a lefty up and comer about 14 years ago when I first started gigging at 18. It was one of the only 5 string left handed basses on Thomann in my budget. Thankfully I'm older now with much more expensive gear 😂😂😂

It’s kind of creepy that their lawyers literally stalked this guy across multiple social media platforms, recording his posts and comments, simply because he happened to own a certain guitar and voiced his personal opinion on a dispute between two third parties.

@mallninja9805

2 жыл бұрын

First time on the internet?

@nckhed

2 жыл бұрын

@@mallninja9805 That doesn't make a difference. The fact that scumbag lawyers can scout around doing shit like this is disgusting. No wonder they're usually viewed in a negative light. It's like cops who set up drug stings by SELLING drugs to citizens. Committing crimes to "stop" crime. They aren't even worthy of a job salting the fries at McDonald's.

@jasmine2501

2 жыл бұрын

And yet, that's exactly what I would want my lawyer to do if someone was actually ripping off my ip.

@relicboxing

Жыл бұрын

@@jasmine2501 Which was not the case.

@Viper-dz2kw

Жыл бұрын

That’s what a good lawyer does tbh, the shit those guys dig up is impressive, they’re basically social media detectives

Doesn’t Dean doing this give Gibson precedent for continuing to pursue a counterfeit lawsuit against Dean?

@MickH60

2 жыл бұрын

EXACTLY...... Stupidity at its best...!

@jasoncarswell7458

2 жыл бұрын

No, it actually helps them, because the key element to this whole ball of wax is "protection of trademark". Under Supreme Court precedent, trademarks don't have the same protections copyrights do: they are kinda up for grabs, with the onus on the trademark owner to protest each violation (legally, specifically, and on record) if they want to continue to retain ownership of it. The idea is to allow for constant turn-over of common defunct trademarks (shapes, colors, etc.); if you use it, and nobody legally protests, then the trademark is yours. Dean took Gibson's trademarked guitar shapes, modified them, then sold them as a distinctly trademarked guitar shape. Dean argues (correctly) that since Gibson failed to protest for 30+ years, they have de facto ownership of the "Dean" guitar shape. Gibson disagrees and argues that Dean is and always has been an inferior knockoff brand that is trying to steal Gibson's market share by pretending to be a Gibson. By harassing anybody who even *thinks* to pretend that they might ever consider copying the "Dean guitar shape", Dean is buttressing it's case that their trademark is real, active and being vigorously defended as a unique entity, not merely an effort to pretend to be a Gibson. If he's not selling the "Machado" brand guitars, then Dean has no actual legal claim for redress... literally zero: they are merely "rattling his cage", either because he pissed them off somehow or because they simply needed the paperwork to show in court against Gibson.

@KimonFrousios

2 жыл бұрын

@@jasoncarswell7458 Protecting the trademark helps them but arguing that a different headstock and name and slightly modified body shape are enough to not be considered a counterfeit Gibson undermines their claim that this Machado guitar is a counterfeit that would mislead customers. Since the guitar player doesn't even make guitars, the trademark protection bit is nonsense. They are just trying to throw their weight around with someone who likely doesnt have the weight to call their bluff in court.

@user-yv2cz8oj1k

Жыл бұрын

@@KimonFrousios just needs to ask the right lawyer, some of them love to add this kind of case to their portfolio.

Disgusting hypocrisy from Dean. Totally agreed with you on this it's absolutely scandalous that they see fit to target this person just because they own an instrument that looks superficially similar to a product they sell. The Streisand effect is out in force with this one.

@sleepdeep305

2 жыл бұрын

As well as the fact that they own TWO DEANS. I mean, come on, Dean really is chugging a fat one.

@jeffreyhutchins6527

2 жыл бұрын

@@sleepdeep305 I'd square cut the points on the bottom legs. then tell them to eat a bowel of richards

@WilDBeestMF

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffreyhutchins6527 Yo Jeff. You wanna start a band and call it "Bowl Of Richards" ? 😂

@DMSProduktions

2 жыл бұрын

@@jeffreyhutchins6527 Bowl!

@zephirol4638

2 жыл бұрын

His arbitrary arguments are irrelevant though. If there is some part of that guitar which was trademarked and they copied it then they have a justified argument. An his silly argument about because they argued this they can't argue that is just that, ridiculous. Because there may be differences within the realm of adequate change to make their build viable. But that is for the courts to decide not some silly music youtuber. Where as in this case it was apparently proven or at least the creator new it was an issue and willingly ceased his operation. It also isn't "just because they own a superficially similar instrument yadda yadda" It's because they were able to prove that A. the creator made counterfits of their own and got him to stop and B. the person who now owns it knew of such issue via the pics in the email sent. That is FAR FAR different than the nonsense you're insinuating. All pushing this nonsense will do is create a false outrage from morons who do not understand the law. There are ways to go about this which resolves the problem and is legally sound without complying to the ridiculous demands in the letter. However this is not one of them.

I can’t believe someone who literally just owns something that’s copyrighted can get in troubled for it! Unbelievable congratulations Dean I won’t be buying one of your guitars!!!

@mikekelly1771

2 жыл бұрын

Dean are crumbling anyway. They won't be around in 5 years.

@Kawika_stone

2 жыл бұрын

Something funny is that dean doesn’t even own the stealth trademark

@caiusmadison2996

2 жыл бұрын

I've had some incredibly crap guitars in my life. All of them, where DEAN reissues. Terrible. Played an original 70's. Not sure who signed off on the cheap reissue line, but the legacy players and fans looking to buy in, where devastated by those pieces of crap. They take 2 times the money to make them good, than they even cost.

@mattb.2740

Жыл бұрын

I guess it somewhat makes sense. You can get in legal trouble for receiving and owning stolen property. In this case, it would be the trademark that's stolen.

@jonessii

Жыл бұрын

@@mattb.2740 It's not stolen property, shut the fuck up.

2 things to add here against Dean. While the Stealth shape is a variation of the ML, it was first used by Washburn, not Dean, and has always been a "Dimebag signature shape" rather than a regular prduction shape like the ML. The fact that the custom Stealth has a single coil in the neck position is also like some 90's Washburn Stealth models, and to me indicates a Washburn influence on the guitar rather than a Dean one. Second, the neck and headstock on the custom Stealth seems to be based on James Hetfield's EET FUK explorer, with the middle finger inlays. A guitar made by ESP.

@robashley2860

2 жыл бұрын

Did Washburn register the trademark the guitar shape though? Its not who made the guitar shape, its who has it trademarked. However if I were to fight Dean over this shape, this is the first defense tactic that I would use. Unfortunately it still would end up in the hand of a jury to decide if you are right and if Dean will lose that shape as a trademark.

@oyhe94

2 жыл бұрын

@@robashley2860 While I can't find any information regarding Washburn trademarking the "Stealth", in documents regarding the "Dean vs Dime" case it is specified that Dean does not get trademark rights for both the "Stealth" and "Razorback" shapes. As ot is widely known that Dimebag drew the original concept for the "Razorback" on a napkin, this leads me to believe that Dimebag himself owned the trademark for the "Stealth" shape when he was with Washburn, and now his estate owns the trademark, along with other body shapes trademarks, after his death. While I understand that whoever made the body designs does not mean that the same person/company owns the trademark, the "Stealth" was designed by Dime at the time he was with Washburn. That trademark being registered by any other guitar company than Washburn seems (morally?) wrong to me, regardless if it would be legal or not. If anyone can find any information regarding trademarks for all the different Dimebag shapes it would be greatly appreciated. This includes the Washburn Dime shape (slightly modified ML), the Stealth, Culprit and Dime V, and Dean Razorback, Razorbolt and Razorback V.

@mikefarrell734

2 жыл бұрын

I knew Dean Zalinski (the original owner and manufacturer Of Dean guitars located in Evanston IL) I went to the factory looking for work and this was back in the 70s the ML was very much a part of his designs his guitars were like Gibson he told he took several tours through the Gibson factory to learn their manufacturing techniques which he applied in his manufacture of his products Dean made a really good guitar but he was not a good businessman I suggested a number of things he needed to do to get his product known and out there he just wouldn't listen I acted as a salesman and would go to concerts to get to talk to performers and get them interested in his guitars I had several established artists interested but after speaking with him they wouldn't do business with him Since I couldn't make sales I soon left I saw Dean a few years later and found out he sold the business and like the saying goes the rest is history Dean guitars took off I also noticed they incorporated some of the suggestions I made to Dean like changing his ads working with artists etc he made a good instrument but it's too bad he didn't achieve the success he might have wanted

@jjerg

2 жыл бұрын

Dimebag (now his estate) owns the trademark for the stealth shape. They're suing Dean currently to stop Dean from making them.

@oyhe94

2 жыл бұрын

@@mikefarrell734 .

Hold on, isn’t the stealth a Dime design? One of the designs such as the Razorback that dean ILLEGALLY copyrighted, as it was directly stipulated in their contract with dime and his estate that they were not to copyright shapes originally thought of by dime? They’re literally getting sued over this shape and they’re trying to enforce it, when it’s not even theirs!

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

no one owns copyright on a guitar design because copyright is not for that type of thing. you can own a trademark which is what rita is claiming. where she will lose that case is the fact Dimebag did not and was not planning to manufacture and sell the guitars himself which you have to do to be able to hold a trademark (that's why it is called a trade mark) you also can't hold a trademark if your dead. dime could have owned a patent for a guitar design that could be past to his estate. but it does not look like he did other wise that would be the case not rita claiming trademarks. dean will simply say the ml has been in production since 1977 and the razor back and stealth are just variations on the theme of the ML (which they are). and the fact they are the company that actually manufacture and sells the guitars they are with in their legal rights to take a trademark out on them and would be stupid not to in order to stop other companies producing copies of them. all that will happen from that lawsuit is dean may just take dime's name of the guitars.

@petercallear9535

2 жыл бұрын

Washburn made the stealth first! Dime played washburn stealths. Dean only started making them after Dime's death.

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

@@petercallear9535 that is true but dean hadn't been producing or trading them for years meaning they could lose the trade mark also Dime had signed a contract with Dean to produce those guitars. and the only people that can own a trademark are the people trading them. so technically the only people that could have the slightest case against dean over the stealth would be washburn and even then dean would just go. well it is just a pointy variation of our ML design anyway.

@J.C...

Жыл бұрын

And that's part of why Rita left Dean and sued them. Evan tried to convert Dime's trademarks and copyrights to belong to Dean, without anyone's knowledge or permission. They tried to take the Stealth, the Razorback?, another guitar, the Dime logo, Dime's likeness, and everything else, IIRC. I believe it's all laid out in the lawsuit Rita filed against them. Guitar shapes CAN be trademarked and that's what Dime did. That's what Gibson is attempting to protect when they sue people. That's what Fender lost when they failed to take action on people for the first 40 or 50 years of their existence.

@user-yv2cz8oj1k

Жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 yes, but that crumbles as long as you can show 'prior art'.

Last time I checked, it is not remotely illegal to purchase or use a counterfeit good. It only constitutes a crime if you are the manufacturer or seller of the good. There is absolutely no precedent for him facing legal action for simply owning the guitar.

@snap-off5383

2 жыл бұрын

yeah that was a total stretch. As long as I'm not selling the counterfeit, I don't even have to acknowledge that it is one. Its fully legal to pretend that its a legitimate one too.

@NWTMasterWolf

2 жыл бұрын

That's what I was thinking. I believe he should tell them to go fuck themselves and get a lawyer to sue them for undue process and false persecution.

@pigpenclymer6098

2 жыл бұрын

@@NWTMasterWolf malicious prosecution and abuse of process to be exact

@nckhed

2 жыл бұрын

Iniquity shall abound, indeed.

@Wesquire

2 жыл бұрын

This is just a misunderstanding of what is going on here. These are civil issues. Criminal law has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Haven’t finished this yet, but just want to say you usually go above and beyond in your research and I was quite literally forced to subscribe to keep up

@nckhed

2 жыл бұрын

@@creamwobbly The word "literally" is about as overused as "underrated".

@carrterdinkins7977

2 жыл бұрын

Hey stop stealing my pfp

@nckhed

2 жыл бұрын

@behindspace666666 pa dam dishoom 😋

@R3TR0R4V3

2 жыл бұрын

Oh god, please make it stop! Damn whippersnappers and their trendy words! 😅

@JavaoftheLava

2 жыл бұрын

Same here. I don’t like him on a personal level but I still sub for the work he outs j.

So scummy to go after the owner. Lawsuits on the company... whatever, business is business... but to go after some normal guy with a guitar is disgusting

Unbelievable from Dean. Never was interested in their guitars, and will totally boycott them from there out.

Personally, I think Jackson forcing ESP to change their headstock was a blessing. ESP inline headstocks are the coolest looking headstocks ever.

@nckhed

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I like ESP/LTD's inline headstock, especially reversed. Jackson's inline headstock looks much better non-reversed, in my opinion.

@deviltronix

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, it's one of my favorites.

@pigdick2233

2 жыл бұрын

I think it’s neat they turned that design inside out and made it even more metal

@JohnDoeWasntTaken

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed, ESP is the king of inline headstocks. They are the only manufacturer that makes an 8 string superstrat with an inline headstock, because otherwise it wouldn't look much like a superstrat. Ibanez makes 8 string inlines but they just look bland. The ESP guitar is called the Raiden-8 if you wanna see it yourself.

@beardedslavbrew615

2 жыл бұрын

Best thing ever that happened to ESP

"Gibson's strict quality control standards." Nice meme Gibson

@snap-off5383

2 жыл бұрын

there's gotta be a reason no gibson G string has ever stayed in tune. . . its a requirement of their strict standards!

@Rowe4900candymachine

2 жыл бұрын

@@snap-off5383 It's actually really easy to fix that problem too. All they need is a string tree.

@caiusmadison2996

2 жыл бұрын

Lol

@caiusmadison2996

2 жыл бұрын

@@Rowe4900candymachine exactly. Gibson needs to copy a certain accessory for 17° angle heads you can get for about 20 bucks on Amazon that does that for all 6 strings, by clipping onto, then redirecting them to be a better angle on the nut to tuner.

@Rowe4900candymachine

2 жыл бұрын

@@caiusmadison2996 I have the thing you're talking about on my epiphone sg, also had a luthier set it up and put a gotoh bridge along with a graphtech nut and hipshot tuners plays as good as any gibson I've picked up.

Way to go Dean. I for one, will never purchase one of your guitars, directly as a result of this petty and spurious action. Perhaps invest in a better PR department with some of that legal budget. What absolute hypocrisy.

Well Done!

@megatyaesree

2 жыл бұрын

_thats what she said_

Seems like the new owner is doing everything to kill the company after losing all of their endorsed artists, and being sued by Dime's estate.

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

dave mustaine and MAB are not most of their endorsed artists. they may have lost mustaine but gained Kerry King they still have Amott and Shenker and all the others. the dimebag thing is rita trying it on to try to get more licencing money off dean but she will lose because she is claiming dimebag owned trademarks on a guitar shape that existed before dimebag owned one. and also dimebag never sold or planned to manufacture or sell guitars himself therefore he can't own a trade mark . he could own a patent for an original design that could pass to his estate but not a trademark

@MickH60

2 жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 They aren't the only 2 they lost bud, do a bit of research, they've lost a pile of artists and some have even done you tube vids explaining why they left, like not being paid....

Unacceptable! I can not support Dean at all, after this.

@NWTMasterWolf

2 жыл бұрын

Me either. I own two "Mustaine United Abominations V" and a "Lime Green Custom Shop" that I just put some bucks into. Now I want to sell them and buy a Gibson.

@andrewhernandez3330

2 жыл бұрын

@@NWTMasterWolf Not gonna lie the Mustaine Gibson’s look sick and I can’t wait for them to release more and maybe even a Mustaine Explorer 😂

@gregc8483

2 жыл бұрын

@@andrewhernandez3330 The new Gibson Mustaine limited edition looks awesome. Man Dean really screwed up. I love the Dean Dimebag guitars but they will never get a new sale from me.

@inevitableveganfuture3915

2 жыл бұрын

@@NWTMasterWolf Be careful you don't accidentally buy another Dean instead of a Gibson.

@gregc8483

2 жыл бұрын

@@inevitableveganfuture3915 🤣

One thing that's missing from this video: Copyright (and the DMCA) laws are a completely different set of laws from the trademark laws. I'm not sure how a DMCA notice is even legal when they openly admit they're protecting their trademark, not copyright.

@BlackPhillip666

2 жыл бұрын

Intellectual property rights prohibit a sorely needed Renaissance.

If Gibson were suing Tokai they’d have a point, the headstock is incredibly similar. Granted I don’t think they’d want a quality comparison, lately the rosewood fretboards on Tokai have been next level. A 335 from Tokai is about 1/2 the price, made in Japan and has scary good build quality. Dean guitars have always been really ugly to me, I hate the headstock. When Schecter started it’s mid 2000s push, I questioned why anybody would purchase a Dean.

@fabronaut7478

2 жыл бұрын

it's partly why the whole "Orville by Gibson" thing exists. they can't compete directly with any of the Japanese companies that make killer Les Paul etc. copies on price due to the exorbitant markups Gibson charges and import taxes. wouldn't be remotely surprised to find that Orville is probably a far more consistent and generally superior product (not least for the price).

@erojerisiz1571

2 жыл бұрын

The last ones you should ever sue are Japanese manufacturers

There is something going on with Dean. There has been a mass Exodus of most of their signature guitarist then the Dimebag thing. I have to say this was a pathetic attempt and quite possibly something that will eventually hurt them regarding their complaint with Gibson.

@dwaynejessome1728

2 жыл бұрын

Clint Norwood - you should watch kzread.info/dash/bejne/mo521qSMkpfIocY.html Guitar Max gives a very clear explanation of the nonsense going on at Dean Guitars - if the link doesn't work - titled Dean Guitars: On the Road to Ruin

@clintn6677

2 жыл бұрын

@@dwaynejessome1728 yeah I saw that along with some of the other reports. My guitar tech used to be head of QC and Artist Relations at Dean and he has been saying they were doomed since I met him. A lot of his predictions have come to pass.

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

i wouldn't call Dave Mustaine and MAB a mass exodus. the dimebag thing is rita trying it on and trying to get more money by claiming dimebag owned trade marks on a guitar model dean was making before dimebag ever owned one. i agree this case is stupid on deans part as if they took the guy to court and won they would create president in law that would cause them to lose the gibson lawsuite

@clintn6677

2 жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 you forgot Rusty Cooley, Andy Larqoque, Vinnie Moore, Tracii Guns

@jackkay4310

2 жыл бұрын

@@clintn6677 Meanwhile Dean have signed on Kerry King (with his variation on a V shape) and most recently Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein (with their version of his Annihilator) but those are just two guys. The majority of the rest of Dean artists get custom guitars that aren't available to the public unless they were custom-ordered, so from that aspect they wouldn't be making Dean that much money either. And who knows how Evan is undermining them too.

I'm glad you do this. The community thanks you. Audits are my favorite.

I was going to buy 2 Dean guitars for a teen charity for Christmas and now I think I’ll buy something else. This is not the type of company I want to do business with.

@dirgmario

2 жыл бұрын

Buy them some fenders/Squiers or LTDs. Way better stuff than most things Dean has done.

@Wheresthepepsibismol

2 жыл бұрын

Yep I was about to buy a Dean Metalman Z bass I'm keeping my Ibanez Roadstar II rb650 bass screw Dean basses I rather buy a used Ibanez destroyer.

Understand: Dean has new management. Michael Angelo Batio left Dean and said he didn't like working with their new people. So this may be the new Dean. Its a tough world with guitars now. More and more brands are out there. Profits are probably down. There was a very good man named John Carmack who made the Doom games and owns id software. He was against ALL forms of software patenets. The guitar people should learn. Dean should have actually offered him a free Dean if he is good at guitar to promote their guitar.

@Scott__C

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that would've gained them some goodwill.

Even after watching the whole video, I still don't understand Deans claims. Claiming infringement just by owning and using is a new level of mental gymnastics

After this, I would never consider buying a Dean guitar. This seems like corporate bullying.

Please don't change, followed you're channel for a good while now, you make no-biased informational videos that is great for the music community to show the other side of our industry/passion. Dont let anyone take that from you because you're a diamond in the rough, especially through all these shell channels that only do videos for the money. 💯😊👌🎸❤️

Rickenbacker and Epiphone actually own a lot of these pattens especially with the early days of the Electric Guitar

Dude, I don’t even know you but I want to hug you. This must be one of the most brilliant KZread videos I’ve ever watched. You nailed your arguments, your research, your delivery. You are one terrific journalist/ researcher. I hope Dean sees this video, cause you just nailed them with reason! 👊

What these guitar companies are forgetting, is their customers. Guitar players like you and I. We are the ones who buy them. It is insulting to insinuate that we cannot read or recognize basic headstock shapes. Not one time ever have I picked up a jackson and confused it with a fender, or a gibson with a dean, ect. Every single guitar company for the most part copies other companies shapes. How many "strat" styles are out there? Flying V? Explorer? Single cut gibson?

Gotta say, after this I would think twice about ever buying a Dean guitar. Companies that behave in such a fashion don't deserve our business.

The absolute masters at this kind of thing are Rickenbacker. They even threatened to sue a popular British bass guitar forum for posts that linked to things like eBay listings for Japanese made guitars from the 1970s. In the communication with the forum administrators, there was some bizarre Walter Mitty like stuff from Rickenbacker's owner where he said he had worked for the British government, presumably to insinuate he had some leverage with them.

@Jay-st6sl

2 жыл бұрын

"My dad INVENTED copyrights!" - Rickenbacker's owner probably

@twenty3electronics

2 жыл бұрын

Rickenbacker harassed me on eBay over a one off hand made pedal called the Pick A Round because they said it infringed on Rick O Sound. They waste their resources ruining their own name with no benefit to themselves. Brilliant

@chriswareham

2 жыл бұрын

@@twenty3electronics it's often a small group of Rickenbacker owners who report "infringing" listings on eBay. If you look on the Rickenbacker forum it's something they take great delight in doing. There's brand loyalty, and then there's the almost cult like behaviour of some Rick fans...

@marvinstorm9153

2 жыл бұрын

Hall of Rickenbacker is a miserable prick. One trick pony guitars.

this is why I saw both sides to the Gibson Vs Dean Lawsuit, Gibson had they not waited years to file had a genuine case for filing a lawsuit as Dean did play fast and loose with the Gibson designs even down to the names. Dean are hypocrites great video as usual 🤘🏻

The ML is literally half a flying V and half an explorer taped together anyway. Copyright laws are wild, dean has like one original design lol.

i just gotta say.... i'm glad i'm a Fender guy.

I recently saw a video in which Michael Angelo Batio talked about how he didn't like the new management at Dean, which is the main reason he and other artists have left. Sounds like they are sinking their own ship.

@Scott__C

2 жыл бұрын

I saw that too. Since MAB is nice guy, he was about as diplomatic as he could be while still getting the point across.

Man this is sad. I loved Dean but I won't buy anymore of them. I have had issues with them arriving in shit packaging and destroyed on arrival. I have heard a lot of stuff like this already and it saddens me to say that I have lost my love for Dean Guitars. I may even sell the one's I have. I won't support a company that is so immature about their practices. And they just aint worth the money anymore. Think I'm gonna buy a Jackson and enjoy my Epiphone. Seems like Dean is Squirming over the Dimebag lawsuit JMO.

@arthurmckay4202

2 жыл бұрын

Just got myself a 2021 Jackson, plays great

@johnwick3269

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Jackson makes some amazing guitars I started using Jackson when I couldn't afford a dean guitar man Jackson had some guitar in the $500 price range that completely blew away most dean guitars but they will lose the lawsuit Rita Haney has and Gibson will mop the floor with them hopefully Rita takes dimes guitar designs to a other big guitar manufacturer not Gibson they would be way too expensive

Can Gibson use this video against Dean? Since Dean made the argument for Gibson lol

@MarcG7424

2 жыл бұрын

I hope so and I hope they do

Just found this channel and can't help but add all the videos to my watch later. Super interesting coverage and well explained. Thanks!

I find these types of videos of yours highly entertaining. Keep em coming!

As a direct result of Gibson’s crass attempt at market control via Mark Agnesi reading an altogether bizarre threat letter, like some threatening crack dealer, I have never owned a Gibson guitar and never will. Dean seems to be waving the ‘even bad publicity is publicity’ banner and so is added to the list of ‘give me one and i’ll burn it’ companies.

In a time when the guitar/amp sales are not what they used to be, its sad that this is what they are resorting to. Dean could have used this as a marketing piece, gave credit to the guy for a great build (and for buying his other 2 Dean guitars), and came out the hero. All this over the shape of a piece of wood.

@b0nel0rd

2 жыл бұрын

Actually, guitar and amp sales are higher than they've been in decades :)

big brain tinfoil hat theory: Dean wants to intentionally lose this new lawsuit in hopes that it'll help make a case against the Gibson lawsuit. it's a hell of a stupid thing to do but it wouldn't surprise me thanks for the great content man

@axmnstrbnd

2 жыл бұрын

You actually might have a point here. I never looked at it this way, and that actually might be the big dick, chess move they're doing/going for.

@KimonFrousios

2 жыл бұрын

To lose it would first have to actually go to court. Chances are that a random guy with some guitars and a small YT/IG channel does not have the means to stand in court against a big corporation.

Your research and points of arguments are impeccable. Thanks, as always, for your intelligent posts!

Dude, you are the Ralph Nader of Guitar! Love your videos.

Dimebag would be so ashamed of Dean, Dime was all about the fans and wanted them to be happy

Ay KDH, love the vids. Much respect from Missouri USA

Always appreciate your investigations. This is where I first come for what’s going on with guitars and amps and such. Thank you.

As someone who was a dealer for them for years, Dean was a MUCH nicer company in terms of from a dealer point of view, and just in general, when Elliot was still alive and running the company.

Fantastic breakdown of an outrageous situation. Dean's actions give the impression that the owner(s) desperately want to sell but, in the wake of the Gibson suit and all the lost endorsements, are terrified that the brand may have lost most of its value.

Dean is the Eric Clapton of guitar manufacturers.....

Im no lawyer...but if I was on a jury for this trial..you'd make a great argument. Also...Counterfeit is very clear, since Dean and Machado didn't exactly copy and brand their "variations" with the "other companies" logo...it's not a counterfeit.

We are watching the destruction of dean guitars

@DarrenWaters75

2 жыл бұрын

On the bright side they will be valuable again like they were before Zalinski brought the company back from the dead. 😂😂😂

You should also delve into dean's treatment of artists and how they don't pay them

@nacktheslayer9882

2 жыл бұрын

@@NeungView doubt it but it was in their contracts

such an underrated youtube channel, best content. keep up the great work .. you deserve thousands and thousands of subscribers and views

Excellent reporting. Keep up the good work KDH!

I'm reminded of how Gibson have capitalised enormously on the revival of interest in the Les Paul by Slash... whose own LPs were all boutique counterfeits! Massive hypocrisy on Gibson's part to accuse Dean of counterfeiting... but for Dean to then go after one of their customers is equally shitty.

@Scott__C

2 жыл бұрын

That's not unheard of for an endorsement deal. They contract with specific builders the artist already knows to build whatever that model is. All the signature Gibsons Billy Gibbons has are made for him by John Bolin. The ones we can buy are made in the factory.

@richardharrold9736

2 жыл бұрын

@@Scott__C yeah, but Billy G's hand-built signatures are made with Gibson's approval, and he started out playing Gibsons... whereas Slash started out playing unauthorised knock-offs by builders who are no longer in business (one of them I know is long dead), and has now moved to endorsing Gibson, but still (at least in the studio, if not live) using the counterfeits he's had for 35 years or so...

@Scott__C

2 жыл бұрын

@@richardharrold9736 Yeah, but back then the company wasn't taking people to court all the time and there wasn't social media to show the world his new "not Gibson". lol

@richardharrold9736

2 жыл бұрын

@@Scott__C there were guitar magazines and a few people were using early message boards... it was public knowledge then that Slash's guitars were counterfeit, as was the identity of the builders.

@Scott__C

2 жыл бұрын

@@richardharrold9736 I read some of the magazines while I was learning and I can't say I knew or heard anyone talk about it. I liked his playing, but admittedly didn't look further than it saying Gibson on the guitar.

Dean just shot itself in the foot. I hope it screws up the outcome of their Gibson suit. I loathe Gibson and their behavior and still think Dean is right in their suit with Gibson. But to spew the same "counterfeit" BS here that they are defending against Gibson should be enough to ruin their argument in the Gibson case. And that would be their deserved karma. Fingers crossed!

@vorpalblades

2 жыл бұрын

This is why Gibson lost that suit, they did not actively protect their products. Dean has to do it, legally, or the trademark is not valid.

@Mattormus

2 жыл бұрын

@@vorpalblades but it's extremely ironic and just straight up pathetic that the threats they're making are exactly the same claims that they are actively trying to defend themselves from, from Gibson

@vorpalblades

2 жыл бұрын

@@Mattormus reading comprehension isn't one of your strong suits, huh? They are legally bound to do it to protect themselves. That's where Gibson failed, hence they lost their lawsuit.

@KimonFrousios

2 жыл бұрын

@@vorpalblades But the guy doesn't even make or sell these guitars and they already won against the manufacturer. There is no illegal or infringing activity to protect from in this case and they are also abusing and misrepresenting the copyright system since they own neither the image nor the sound in his videos.

@vorpalblades

2 жыл бұрын

@@KimonFrousios I wasn't aware he wasn't the builder.

Man, I just got done looking at those Victory heads on Reverb, now I have two staring right at me in your video...

Excellent video. Thanks for making me aware of this.

Dimebag's estate own the Stealth (and Razorback) designs. Dean Guitars tried trademarking them a few years ago, which is one of the reasons behind the lawsuit against Dean. I believe they might be doing this to have some kind of evidence/proof of them owning the design to dismiss the claims when brought up in the courtroom. Either this is hypocritical and shady AF.

I think Dean is scared because they know everyone wants whatever version of their guitars that doesn't have their horrendous headstock.

@1337million

2 жыл бұрын

Why not let Ibanez and Jackson in on the lawsuit gangbang for the 2012 Dimebag Concrete Sledge for the very similar upside down Ibanez headstock, and the shark fin inlays that are so common on Jacksons. While they're at it they can have a go on each other for the Dinky Pro MT 7 and the RGD71ALMS for being superstrats with beveled edges and having multiscale necks. Maybe Ibanez can get some action on ESP with the carved top superstrats RGA vs Horizon. Maybe Fender can finger ESP over the Snapper being too similar to the Stratocaster. And ultimately to finish it all off invite Schecter and Charvel so they'll all simultaneously bust a fat lawyer nut over their one common friend; The T-style body shape. It's ridiculous.

@ashleyjohansson230

2 жыл бұрын

Ive always wanted a dean cadillac but the heastock ruined it so bad, their dumb fork headstock thingy.

@michaelbrand1173

2 жыл бұрын

haha nice

Just started listening to your channel man it’s awesome I like all this shit keep up the good vibes

i just subbed i like all the vids i seen so far my fellow long haired brother

Wow, I have never seen KDH so angry. Dean done fucked up.

Will you be making a video that covers the dispute between Dean the Dime Estate?

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

be a short video that one sentence. "Rita needs to wind her neck in" and to be fair to KDH there have been a million videos by others on that topic

Very under rated channel you have great critical thinking you are professional and it’s well edited well done I watched your videos on Chapman and Stevie t n this one earned a sub

Here's one for ya, I knew a Luthier/fan who made a washburn n4 style guitar and gave it to Nuno after a concert ...few weeks later, got a letter from washburn...

Seems like such a bully move. Personally, I don't think Dean will be around 10 years from now. At least not in a serious capacity. I can't even name one active Dean artist anymore.

@Quusikko

2 жыл бұрын

Active ones that comes to mind: Eric Peterson, Michael(s) Amott and Schenker & David Vincent... Four, whoop-de-doo! Of course, like someone said; Kerry King. But what, he's going to promote the guitars from his home? Going to start streaming soon? 😂

@nathansguitars328

2 жыл бұрын

@@Quusikko For sure, there are SOME. I don't know of many of those names though. Not that I'm the gold standard of guitar knowledge, but I used to know a few who have all left in the last few years.

@Quusikko

2 жыл бұрын

@@nathansguitars328 They have to try to keep a couple of names in the house. A guitar brand without artists is not looking too good. :D I just cheked Dean's site, which atleast to me works atrociously, they seem to have retained some names atleast. But I do get your point 100%, in the early to mid 2000's I used to see Dean's everywhere. Now I didn't almost remember its existence before this video. The way they seem to work, I bet it's going to go back where it was for me pretty quick. :P

I thought that the Stealth was Dimebag’s design? Either way, this has not been the year of Dean

I own one Dean 7 string V, I love it and it is one of my easiest to play guitars. Not sure if I'll be purchasing anymore after this

Clicked on this thumbnail expecting Glenn Fricker, pleasantly surprised to see KDH

Who tf even buys dean guitars anymore?

So, it seems like most of the big guitar and amp/effects companies are awful and would rather maintain their profits through lawsuits and suppressing competition instead of focusing on the quality of their product and customer satisfaction. Are there any good commercial manufacturers of this gear, or do I just have to go local ($$$) if I want to support a decent company?

@mrnauseouz

2 жыл бұрын

Support brands started by modem musicians, not just sponsored by.

Great video. Awesome points!!

Extremely well researched and presented. This guy should get paid as a defense expert in court!

@user-gl5kj1fm5x

11 ай бұрын

problem is the defense does not stand up - Dean were found to be in contempt the question now before the court is how much they have to pay.

Wait. It's illegal to post a picture of a guitar? Has Dean gone crazy?

@nckhed

2 жыл бұрын

I imagine one day it will be illegal to breathe, therefore illegal to exist.

I want a machado stealth now

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

only if it has a double locking trem as looking at the string break at the nut to the tuning pegs on that gibson style headstock looks like it would have the usual gibson tuning stability issues if it didn't have a locking nut

@deadinsidemcgee411

2 жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 I want a Kahler hard tail bridge.

Now this was one of your much better videos 👍🏽

Love your van Halen wall bro so rad! When are you boys over in Glasgow to tour?

Man this stuff is all getting beyond a bit ridiculous from some of these companies. So hypocritical by Dean unfortunately.

this is ridiculous!!! imagine fender going in a hunt like this...will never end!

@ohara4703

2 жыл бұрын

Fender doesn't bother, they're selling a shitton of instruments right now, they can't even keep up with the demand. I'm looking out for an Aeorodyne Jazz Bass , but they're all out of stock in my country.

@jacopasto3204

2 жыл бұрын

@@ohara4703 aren't aerodynes discontinued?

@ohara4703

2 жыл бұрын

@@jacopasto3204 As far as I know it's still in production, I asked a music store and they expecting it to be back in stock around Febuary next year.

seems very odd to me because the stealth body shape was made by washburn guitars first, back when dimebag was endorsed by them.....

That Machado is badass 24 fret too. I cant find nothing on that brand, pretty weird...

what the fuck, this is just absurd. Dean have just lost alot of my goodwill here

Without Darrell Abott, Dean Guitars wouldn't be in business today...lol

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

really what about Mustaine who endorsed dean till this year. same with MAB or Michael Amott. or Michael Shenker, Or leslie west or Jackie vincent or rusty cooley and brett michaels. funny thing when i see a small band anywhere i go in the country or see online and they have dean guitars it is rarely a dimebag model it is usually a V, Z or Cadillac

this video is really well done. nice job

...this is a great site , he does the hard research...I dig it !

I’ve never been much of a Dean fan but now I’m even less of a fan. This shit is absolutely ridiculous. They really need to ‘pick their battles’ and leave this poor guy alone. Fucking pathetic.

2 dumb companies! 2 companies I will not be putting my money towards.

Very good comments.

YOU ARE AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AWESOME!

Dean Does not own the right to the Stealth Dimes Estate Rita has gone after them as Dime designed them. Also Dean did not go after Washburn when they made the stealth and the D3. I have lost respect for Dean because I was friends with Dime. Also in American you have the right to make a guitar for personal use Dean should of never gone after the the owner of the guitar but the builder but I can build copies all day if I don’t sell them as the original like a Dean or Gibson.

@terryosborne272

2 жыл бұрын

That is correct Dime and Washburn made the Stealths, the Culprits and also Dime made the Razor Back even though he never used it.

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

dean didn't go after washburn back then because dean was practically out of business back then. when it comes to trademarks dimes estate and rita own shit. because in order to own a trademark you have to actually be or planning to be manufacturing and selling said item. to my knowledge in the last 17 years Dime's estate have not manufactured or sold guitars of those designs. and it could be argued that the razorback and stealth are just variations on the theme of the ml that dean have made since 1977. the only people that could possibly have a tiny chance of a trademark case against dean for the stealth would be washburn as they are the only other company that produced and sold that model before dean. so unless Rita cam come up with a Patent that was that was granted to Dimebag for those 2 designs. leagally speaking she won't have a leg to stand on and will be leaving court empty handed. seem's suspect to me that after over 17 years of dean holding those trademarks rita is only now claiming anything.

@sidneyslack7991

2 жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 you are wrong I am a luthier and designs can be trademarked. Dime designed them. I have friends that work at Dean and Dean has admitted that they trademarked Dimes Designs by mistake. Dean was in biz and making guitars while Dime was with Washburn. I was good friends with Dime so I know more then you do but I am not going to get into it as it hits me harder then I bet it does you.

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

@@sidneyslack7991 I never said they can't be trademarked i stated that to hold and to hold on to that trade mark you atually have to be trading using that trademark neither dime nor his estate ever did or had plans to do so. there are many cases where people have lost the right to hold a trademark because they were not trading. trademarks don't work like copyright. and if Dime did hold a trademark that would have ended when he died and it would be up to his estate to renew that trademark to protect it. Just look at Behringer they made a fortune exploiting that loop hole. yes dean was in business at the time Dime was with Washburn but were practically non existent on the US market at the time due to then marketing more to the Latin market. and we need to be fair and honest and say that the Stealth and the Razorback are variations on the theme of the ML that Dean had been making since 1977.

@sidneyslack7991

2 жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 dude most of the stuff you are talking about is not correct Sam Ash and Guitat Center carried Dean so did smaller stores. I had a 1998 Dean ML USA Custom. With regards to the trademark and copyrights I am not going to get in to it with you. But I will say I have been in the music Biz for over 35 years I have allot of friends that work at allot of the companies like Fender and Gibson. In my phone I have Artist I can call right now if I want to. So when you get in a discussion with someone make sure you know who you are taking to as you only know why you know and I am telling you your info is not 100% correct. Thank you for your comments but I am done with it I have stated the info I know is correct and can prove. By the way go read the law suite Rita filed.

The best part is dean / armadillo doesn’t legally own the the rights to the stealth shape. They are currently being sued by the dime bag estate over this.

@vorpalblades

2 жыл бұрын

They do legally own them. Abbott never registered them himself.

@stevepetersmusic9262

2 жыл бұрын

@@vorpalblades bingo this is what people seem to miss in that argument. as you said Dime never applied for patent for those designs. and to legally register a trademark you have to be or planning to be producing and selling those guitars and the people doing that were Dean Guitars/ Armadillo. so they do legally hold the rights to manufacture and sell those guitar designs. and lets be fair to Dean here they are just variations on the theme of the ML at the end of the day. one is pointy and one is Jagged but in essence they are ML shaped guitars

@boshi9

2 жыл бұрын

@@stevepetersmusic9262 Prior art can invalidate a trademark however, even if the original author doesn’t own the trademark themselves. Same goes for patent law.

@NikkiSexx666

2 жыл бұрын

@@vorpalblades the original contract between dime and dean said the shapes were owned by dime. They could be used and licensed , but they did not own the rights to the shapes. Years after dimes death dean re worked the contract with out notifying anyone from the dime estate and tried to file a copyright over the stealth, and razorback shapes. Now the dime estate is taking legal action over breach of contract.

@vorpalblades

2 жыл бұрын

@@NikkiSexx666 the original contract doesn't mean shit. He never properly registered the designs. He never legally owned them.

I've always wanted to get a stealth guitar, but the Washburn's ones are very difficult to find one, so I'm just looking at Dean's one. At this point, maybe in the future, I have to build a stealth by my own.

You are right that the counterfeit argument is objectively frivolous. I always thought that the shape could not be trademarked. Tons of manufacturers make a similar single cut shape.